I'm so sorry it took me this long to update, things have been a bit busy lately.
We are ignoring canon here and going with who Oliver was established to be as a person, and he therefore didn't head back to Star City until after he himself could make 200% sure that Sara was alive, that she was unharmed, and that she was fine-ish and going to be alright. There is just no way in hell Oliver would've left the Waverider before having interacted with Sara himself. Mr.-I-can't-lose-you-again-she-has-a-bad-habit-of-disappearing-on-me-so-I-put-a-tracker-on-her would never ever ever not make sure himself that Sara was alive, and safe (as safe as they ever are) and going to be alright (as alright as they ever are). And most definitely not after Laurel's death.
Chapter 4: I know I drive you crazy, sometimes But you complete me and that's no lie Rocking the building, tear it down, like we King Kong
Sara tried to get her head out of the gutter once she put her cell phone away, there were still several hours between now and then, and focus on her current company instead of the anticipation of what was to come after the wedding and the man currently seated several tables away. But staying focused wasn't nearly as easy as it should've been and his speech was pushed to the forefront of her mind time and again, which in turn made her wonder about his feelings towards her and concerning the two of them. There was no doubt in her mind that it had been about her and them. But what did it mean? She knew her feelings towards him had never changed, and chances were neither had his, but that wasn't the point. It never had been. The point was the choices they each had made that led them here. She'd walked out on him time and again, and he'd moved on, as he should have, as she had wanted him to. That was why she had left. Well, part of it.
Plus, his speech hadn't been pre-prepared but off the cuff, and Ollie wore his heart on his sleeve. People were just too ignorant to see and too stupid to realize. This whole situation reminded her of the time he'd asked her to move in with him, well sort of, Ollie style. It was a moot point, though; she couldn't ask him right now and wouldn't even if he were here beside her at this moment. It was neither the time nor the place for that type of conversation. He needed to figure out the whole Felicity thing first, before they could even consider talking about them and potentially becoming a them again and seriously getting involved once more. Giving them another shot. Depending on the choices he made concerning his relationship with Felicity. If he was even still interested in something more serious with her. She could understand if he wasn't, if he didn't trust her with his heart again.
Sara wasn't sure why she couldn't get her head out of the circle she was in. It was probably the environment. Fucking wedding. She usually had no issues pushing those thoughts, emotions and her feelings away, not counting those moments late at night when she couldn't fall asleep, or after she woke up from a nightmare, because those were the moments she missed him the most, except for today, she was seriously struggling with keeping her emotions in check. Which sucked ass. Because no matter what was going to happen between Ollie and her tonight at the hotel, she wasn't going to bring it up. He wasn't in the right place mentally and emotionally to have a conversation like that, and it wouldn't be fair to him to dump her feelings on him as well. Given everything he was already dealing with. It was a sure way to completely overwhelm and make things even more complicated and difficult for him. And that was the last thing she wanted to do. She didn't want to become another burden, add to his issues. Quite the contrary, she wanted to help ease some of them or help him to temporarily forget about them for a while.
Sara looked up and over her shoulder at the soft and familiar touch of the big, warm and calloused hand on her naked skin, just to see Oliver standing behind her chair, smiling at her.
"Hey." His voice was soft, quiet, it almost sounded like a question.
"Hi" she returned his greeting amused. It wasn't like Ollie to act timid and yet here he was looking all unsure, almost shy.
"You wanna sit?" she raised an eyebrow and gestured towards her seat. There once again was no free chair available but she seriously couldn't care less, actually preferred the seating arrangements they've had so far today. And no, she was not going to analyze that fact right now. But she did enjoy sharing a chair and being in constant physical contact with him because of that. Being surrounded by his presence and unique smell was comforting and calming in a way nothing else was. There was just something about his presence and especially his touch that just grounded her. And it was nice to be surrounded by him here. She wasn't feeling too comfortable in the setting and with this many people around, still even after all the years and having her bloodlust more or less under control at all times. There was just something about immense crowds or gatherings like this one that made her uneasy and put her on edge. Having Ollie here, and not just here as in at the same event, but here as in right with her, helped unburden some of that tension and put her on ease, knowing he could take her, if she should slip up. She knew chances were slim to none, but still. Ollie's presence and touch helped immensely.
"Sure." He grinned at her, almost looking relieved, and she wondered if this was as much an escape from Felicity as it was about him wanting to spend time with her. She slid her chair backwards, once Ollie stepped to the side to give her room, and got off to let him take her place before once again making herself comfortable on his lap, as his arms slid around her middle, kissing the top of his head when she felt his grip on her tighten for a moment. Escape it was. That was fine. She didn't care. She could be his safe haven. Just as long as they got the chance to hang. And she knew even if it was primarily to get away from Felicity right now, it didn't mean he didn't enjoy spending time with her and cherished every minute they got to spend together, just like she did. And she was glad she could provide him with a sanctuary of sorts. Sara shifted around until she found the perfect spot, only this time around she was leaning into him, her back using his chest as her back rest, seriously not giving a shit what they must look like; her leaning into him, his arms tightly wrapped around her while he was breathing her in. They were with her boys and strangers, and there were several tables between them and the more gossipy and judgmental teams. And most importantly, Felicity. The other woman wouldn't be able to actually see them given the seating arrangements, as long as they were both in their assigned seats, or at least not clearly enough to tell how exactly they were sitting.
Sara had just made herself comfortable on his lap, leaning into him, her back resting against his chest, when Rory addressed him.
"Nice speech." Oliver looked at the man on his left, surprised. After the meal, he was the one seeking Sara out. His table had felt stifling without her there and with Felicity back in her original chair right next to him. And it was just too much. Everything, most of all the tension between them. And he missed how relaxed he'd felt with Sara on his lap. It had been familiar, comforting and also a great distraction. Her presence had grounded him in a way only she could.
"Thank you." His reply was mostly a reflex that had been ingrained into him by his parents. He was stunned because he had absolutely not expected this. He looked at Sara in question, and she just shrugged her shoulders and grinned at him.
"Better than the others." Mick added to the compliment, leaving him completely flabbergasted. He had not at all expected that from the gruff man. The Green Arrow recalled the time he'd spent with him when the Legends had been missing. He hadn't had any patience for him then. Sara had been missing and Mick had seriously pushed all of his buttons by not getting to the point straight away. Sara had been missing. There had been the possibility that he'd lost her once again. The fear that had gripped his heart the moment Nate had uttered the words:"I'm here to talk about Sara Lance, Ray Palmer and the rest of the Legends, I think they are all in trouble."The words spoken had been nearly paralyzing and the only thing that had reverberated in his mind had been"god, please, no, not again."He'd been terrified he'd lost Sara once more. He couldn't have dealt with that, not shortly after having lost Laurel already. The thought of having neither of the Lance sisters in his life had been terrifying, and he'd felt like he couldn't breathe.
He'd also hadn't known, if that was the case, if the worst had taken place, how he was supposed to tell Quentin, Dinah and Thea. The relief he'd felt when he had learned that Sara was still alive, lost in time, pissed at Rip for the place he'd chosen to leave her at, but fine. Well, she'd almost gotten hanged by the townspeople for being a witch, but she'd been fine. She could easily handle a couple of townsfolk.
He'd personally made sure she was fine, unharmed, and going to be alright mentally after what had happened. Before heading back home. They'd put him back just hours after he'd left with Nate. Time travel was strange and gave him a headache, still. Sara had just grinned at him, before once again thanking him for coming for her and hugging him tightly. As if there was ever going to be a day he wouldn't come for her.
"Yeah, man, Mick's right. I really liked the things you said about friendship." Jax chimed in and he turned his head from the older man to the younger one.
"Thank you. It felt right and fitting." He smiled at Jax. It was true. He'd just gone with what had felt right, and he was glad people seemed to have liked it. No one at his table had given him any feedback, besides Sara, sort of. So, it was nice to know that both Mick and Jax, which were complete opposites in character, had liked it. Oliver felt Sara's hand atop of his, gently stroking it while resting her head on his shoulder. He glanced down at her and saw a soft, content smile on her face. She caught his eyes, and he returned her smile. This was nice.
They fell into an easy conversation after that, talking about friendship in general and, at some point, Sara and his in particular. But unlike most times, he didn't mind. Sara's friends seemed genuinely interested, but not nosy. They didn't push when Sara and he skirted around a subject or avoided answering a question, just moved on from the topic. He really appreciated that.
Their seating arrangement mirrored the one from before, with her on his lap, Mick and Jax on either side of them. And Oliver noticed in surprise he was seriously enjoying the two men's company; Jax was easy-going and fun, and Mick was surprisingly entertaining and way more intelligent than he usually let on. They'd had some very interesting conversations, and he was starting to see why Sara was so fond of him. Sara was completely relaxed and at ease, more so than she had been at his table, which made sense now that he thought about it, she'd barely known anyone there and as outgoing as she might appear to be, she really wasn't that comfortable around strangers, she was just good at hiding it. And here she was around people she knew and trusted.
He also noticed that he was a lot more relaxed as well. The distance to Felicity helped just as much as the relaxed and nonjudgmental atmosphere and vibes he received from the two Legends. He understood a lot better now what drew Sar to them, what made her team tick; there was fun, but it was very clear to see just how much both men respected Sara. And he was sure their easy inclusion of him, was partly because they knew he was important to their captain and they went by her example, she acted as if having him here with them was the most normal thing in the world, including him in their conversations, and they just went right along with it. It was refreshing. Their similar behavior to before got completely different reactions from her team members than they'd gotten from Team Flash and Supergirl. Sara's crew didn't seem to care or be bothered by their sort of public displays of affection and flirtatious behavior, and Mick easily kept up with their crazy stories from their youth with some of his own. Jax appeared surprisingly innocent and well-behaved for a Legend. But then again, so were Ray and Nate, and Amaya hadn't made the impression to go crazy on her days off. It looked like their reputation was a bit blown up. And the only truly wild ones were Mick and Sara.
Sara almost felt in heaven, well, sort of, okay, that might be a bit exaggerated, but she was thrilled about the turn of events, about just how well Ollie got along with Mick and Jax and just how much fun the four of them were having. It was nice. She was really enjoying herself and given Ollie's body language and the relaxed way he was sitting, and the smile on his face and twinkle in his eyes, so was he, she was glad. It was important.
"Mile High Club?" Mick raised a brow at them in question.
"No, I mean yes, but no, that's not what we were referring to. Ollie used to have a light aircraft we'd take to get away from everyone and everything for a while, fly to wherever, if possible the middle of nowhere, if there was an option for him to land the plane and start it again and just be gone for several hours. Lost, if you will. That, of course, was before we actually got lost." Sara looked at Mick and shared a part of her and Ollie's past with him and Jax she'd never shared with anyone before and given Ollie's reaction, he was drawing her close, his hand squeezing her side and stomach while softly kissing her temple, neither had he. Those trips had given them some freedom, and they hadn't needed to worry that someone would find them. It had given them the chance to just be together and in love, even though neither would've admitted that fact back then. It had been their secret, just like their affair and again, nothing that would've raised any eyebrows. They'd gone flying together long before they began to share a bed. It was a very private piece of information she just shared, but it felt right, sort of in a way. And neither Mick nor Jax looked judgmental, just like they hadn't yet the entire time since she'd come back from hanging with Ollie.
"Makes sense. Must suck to always be in the public's eye and have people watch your every move." Sara had been surprised how quickly Mick had warmed up to Ollie. Not that the two men got along. She'd known they would, if they both left their preconceived notions about the other at the door. But just how much her grump participated in the conversation and how quickly he caught the parts Ollie and she left unspoken like this. Yes, their families had been one reason. The paparazzi more so though. It had been their biggest fear that someone would see them, while they weren't seeing them, and their affair would be all over the tabloids and their families, and especially Laurel and Tommy, learning about it through news outlets and gossip magazines. So, getting out of the city with a private plane was the most secure way to make sure no one was following them, and that no one would find and surprise them. The Queens had a private airfield for the light aircrafts, which meant strangers wouldn't see them when taking the plane. Something that would've been a possibility had they been forced to use a public airfield or an airport.
But then again, of course, Mick would be aware what a last name like Oliver's would mean. She wouldn't even be surprised if the Queens had been on a list of Mick and Snart's at some point. She knew banks were their thing, but that didn't mean they hadn't targeted specific banks because they knew who kept their valuables there. And she couldn't even fault them for that. The wealth the Queens had possessed, and Ollie and Thea still did, even if it was significantly less than their parents had owned, was insane and incomprehensible. Sure, it had been normal for her as a kid, but that hadn't meant that she hadn't been aware of the enormous contrast between the way her friend and his family lived and the way she and her family and everyone else she knew, lived. It had only been when she got older that she began to truly understand just how much money the Queens had and what that actually meant, on a lot of different levels, not just the financial one but also the societal one. Just as she understood the privilege, but also the burden that said social standing meant for Ollie. It had been, and still was, a double-edged-sword. And she'd seen firsthand just how much damage Ollie's privileged life could do. She'd seen him almost break under the pressure more times than she could count. And not just before the Gambit, even now, as Star City's mayor.
Sara was seriously distracting him by regularly letting her hand caress the beard on his face. He wasn't entirely sure if she was doing it on purpose or even aware she was doing it. His new look definitely seemed to have an effect on her. He was tempted to let his hand slide under her dress to confirm what he suspected, given her actions, but resisted the temptation and behaved, even if it wasn't as easy as one might given the company they were in. Oliver was pretty sure neither Mick nor Jax would react if he let his hand slip under Sara's dress but, it wouldn't do. He was a part of the wedding party and there was no need to be responsible for another wedding scandal. Never mind the fact that her dress was extremely tight around her legs and gave very little room. So, it might not even be something that would be possible. Which was new, and uncharacteristic for her. Short and tight, sure. But longer dresses had always been picked in a way that gave her more leg room and, quiet frankly, easy access. So long and tight, that was unusual for Sara and made him wonder what had made her go with the for her atypical style. It was also hindering her access to her knives, which was very un-Sara-like.
He also knew that she must be aware of the effect she was having on him, but neither of them let on. And it wasn't… his body was just simply reacting to the way she touched him, moved and was just a man, after all, and he had a gorgeous and very sexy woman in his lap. The moment his body no longer reacted to that was the moment he'd tell Sara to put him out of his misery and end it.
It was a lie he didn't even buy himself, but whatever. Part of him was counting down the hours he was still required to stay here until he could take Sara to the hotel he'd booked for them. Letting his thoughts run wild with the things he wanted to do to her, with her, for her, for a bit before reining them back in some. And he had to admit, he wasn't much better than her, his thumb was regularly brushing the underside of her breast, and the other one was caressing her naked leg, when they were suddenly interrupted.
"Hey Oliver, we're about to introduce the games and activities for the guests, so I need you to help explain and demonstrate them." Barry showed up next to them unexpectedly. With a request that had Oliver raise his brow.
"You need me to do what now?" Sara had to bite her lip to keep from laughing given the look on his face, which also made it clear this was the first time Ollie heard this and it had not been part of the deal when he'd accepted to be one of Barry's best men.
"I need you to help me out here. You're my best man. Look, the wedding planner was supposed to provide us with personnel to do that, but for some reason they didn't show up… so I need you to do it." Barry looked a little flustered and sheepish, she had to give him that but still asking Ollie to make a fool out of himself in front of all the guests was a big request. Especially after last night.
"Barry…" she could see the reluctance and struggle in his beautiful eyes and knew he really, really didn't want to do this but felt torn because it was one of his closest friends making the request and asking him for help. And Ollie usually felt compelled to help people, especially the ones he cared about, and he was a notorious people pleaser; always putting everyone else before himself and his wants and needs.
"Oliver, c'mon, please! You're used to standing in front of people." The Flash looked close to begging now. She looked at Ollie again. He looked torn, but resigned. Yep, there was no question whether he was going to give in to his friend's request, even though he was highly uncomfortable.
"What are the games, activities, and the rules?" She saw the moment Ollie's walls went back up and he slipped on the facade of Oliver Jonas Queen, Moira and Robert Queen's son, the perfect host. God, she hated it. It had taken her almost all day to get him to lower his walls and relax. Was Barry even aware what he was asking of Ollie? How much he hated standing in front of people, being the center of attention and feeling exposed? Especially when he was vulnerable, like he was now. He was not in the right headspace; he was only barely keeping a hold on his emotions. So being displayed in front of everyone, most of which had been witness to the personal drama between him and Felicity the night before, was the last thing he needed right now, or wanted. It was borderline cruel. Did Barry have any idea? She doubted it, and hoped she was right. Otherwise, his request would be vicious instead of simply thoughtless.
The groom looked relieved and started to explain the activities and the rules. He could feel Sara watch him while he listened intently to make sure he'd remember it all. Most of the activities were standard, and he already knew the rules from parties and weddings he'd attended while growing up. But still… there were usually several different ways they could be played, the nuances were small but important.
Part of her wondered why he'd asked Ollie instead of one of the other people in the wedding party, but then she looked at the main table and saw Felicity, Caitlin and Cisco sit together and talk. Yeah, she guessed she'd gone with Ollie too to explain things like ring toss, Boccia, dart, corn hole,… this was why you didn't do a big wedding, but eloped, so you didn't have to put on a show and make yourself a circus clown while doing so. Or force your friends to do things they'd rather not.
Barry left after he was done explaining the games, rules and where each one was located and letting him know they were going to let the guests know in about ten minutes. So, he had ten more minutes to mentally prepare himself to stand in front of a crowd and take part in a show and tell. And probably be subjected to even more whispers and looks. One would think he'd gotten used to it by now, since he'd been confronted with it for almost his entire life. But he wasn't, and he wished he didn't get the attention he did, simply because of his last name. And he really, really didn't feel like standing in front of a crowd that had witnessed one of the most hurtful and humiliating moments in his life. Had he known this was what he would sign up for when accepting the role Barry had given him, he wasn't sure he'd accepted. He hoped this would be the extent of his participation that was needed today. He wasn't sure he'd be up for even more of this. Given everything that had happened, he'd rather be anywhere but here, even without having to get up in front of people and play game master, sure having Sara here helped, and he'd enjoyed the conversation they'd been having with Mick and Jax but that was different. It didn't change the fact that being at a wedding wasn't what he had chosen had he been given a choice.
This was going to suck. He let everything run through his mind again and wondered how fast he could get it done and how he could do it with the least effort possible. And then he felt guilty. This was Barry and Iris' Day. They deserved more than his bare minimum. He sighed while resigning to putting on one hell of a show while feeling extremely uncomfortable. But that was nothing new. He was good at pretending. He looked at the woman in his lap when he felt her intertwine their fingers and a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"Be my assistant?" The puppy dog look on his face almost made her give in, in addition to knowing he got roped into this against his will. But just because he was incapable of telling people no and agreed to act like a trained monkey, didn't mean she had to as well. He was so adorable when he was pleading. But twenty-plus years of friendship made her, almost, immune to that face.
"Sorry, but nope. " she felt a bit guilty but not enough to give in, not for free anyway, and she'd make it up to him tonight.
"C'mon, Sar, for me? I'll talk and all you'll have to do is demonstrate how it is done." He definitely wasn't above pleading with her. Anything was better than having to face the crowd by himself and having her with him would make the entire procedure less daunting, and potentially even a little fun.
"I ain't taking part in no stinking wedding games, O.J. Not even just to demonstrate." If he wanted her to make a fool out of herself next to him, he needed to offer a lot more than a pathetic if cute look on his face and that adorable pout of his that was even sexier than usual thanks to the new look he was rocking. And she really wanted to kiss. Damnit! This was going to be a long day, she was anything but oblivious to the effect she was having on him, and she was certain he was very aware of the effect he was having on her and what she really wanted to do right now, was drag him out of here and head to the hotel. But that wasn't really an option, so she tried to keep a hold on those thoughts and her raging hormones.
"You won't have to take part in the games, you'll just have to show them how to play. I'll have to, so you should as well, together, remember? Where's your solidarity, Birdy?" Trying to play on her emotions and hold her on a promise she'd made years ago was a worthy try on his side, but it wasn't going to work today. If it were anything else he was asking of her, she might have given in, simply because of him reminding her of that promise, one she had meant wholeheartedly and still firmly stood by, even if not in the way she had originally intended.
"Yeah, together except for wedding games. You're on your own, bud, but I'll be happy to cheer you on." The smirk on her face was familiar, so was the twinkle in her eyes. It was a look he'd seen numerous times before in their teens, it had usually led to her watching whatever event he was forced to participate in, cheer him on, and then spend the next several weeks making fun of him because of it. All in good fun, obviously.
"C'mon, play with me?" He decided to throw her earlier words back at her, hoping she'd give in while he hadn't at least not right away. He doubted it would work, but it was worth a shot. One could never know what would work with Sara. She liked to keep you guessing.
"Sure, later, at the hotel, I'll play with you as much as you want, but until then and wedding games… nope, not a chance in hell, buddy." The look in her eyes and the expression on her face made his pulse rise and blood rush in a direction that was anything but helpful right now. The anticipation of what was to come was almost too much, it had been too fucking long and the time he would be forced to stay here until they could leave felt like torture. But he owed it to Barry to stick around. Even if it was the last thing he wanted to do and Sara wasn't currently making it any easier to stick around.
"Seriously, you're just going to let me hang here? After everything we've been through together? This is where you abandon me?" The thought crossed his mind to just go 2007 on her and drag her to the nearest bathroom and have his way with her until she changed her mind but they only had ten minutes… plus that might lead to a scandal he wasn't willing to deal with right now.
"Yup. Look, O.J. I'd die for you, I'd kill for you, I'd literally go to hell for you, but I will not participate in dumb wedding games, not even for you." She put her hand on his face to make him understand the sincerity of those statements. If she only knew one truth, that was it. There was nothing she wouldn't do for him, no place she wouldn't follow him to, even if it was her own death, but… this was not one of those situations, this was a nuisance. Uncomfortable for him, but nothing he wouldn't manage on his own.
"I'll make it up to you tonight." He'd known it was a long shot, but worth a try. Barry fucking owed him big time. Maybe he could bribe her into getting in front of the entire wedding party and explain and demonstrate the activities.
"Now we're talking, what are you saying? What's the offer?" Now she was intrigued, wondering what he'd come up with, what he'd be willing to do in order to get her to join him. He had a very lively and colorful imagination, which led to some sublime fantasies, and it was always fun to let him run wild with it and make those reality.
"I'll do that thing you like so much." Seriously? That was the best he got? That was weak, that was very weak because they both knew it was something he pretty much always did when they weren't in a rush. She looked at him incredulously and as if he were stupid, wondering if he'd lost his fucking mind. Sure, it had been a couple of years since they'd last had sex but still… this was a joke.
"Seriously? That's your offer? Like you aren't going to do that anyway, you enjoy it almost as much as I do. You want me to help. You gotta do better than that, Mister." Fair enough, he did seriously enjoy it as well. Part of it was because she did, and he really liked to give her pleasure, and the other part was because it was something he actually enjoyed. Looked like he needed to change tactics.
"Fine. What do you want for it?" He sighed he'd hoped he could bribe her with an offer of his but given her current attitude he knew there was no chance in hell that she'd relent without him having to seriously pay for it, at least not in the limited time they had and the current setting.
"I want you to come to the spa with me tomorrow and I want you to do the treatments of my choosing with me." Of course, she was going to bring up the Spa again. He mentally debated which one would be the smaller of two evils. Sara in a skimpy bikini, won hands down. If he were honest with himself, Sara in a skimpy bikini always won. No matter what it was, if one option was the bombshell on his lap scarcely clad, that was the one that would win. No question. So, in a way it was actually a win-win situation. Not that he'd ever admit that to her. And he really didn't look forward to the spa treatments, but fact was the view during the spa treatments would be spectacular.
"I'll agree to that, and you'll join me for the games? That includes any fucking wedding related activity I get roped into from here on out. I'm not negotiating new for anything else that might come up. If I agree to joining you for the spa treatments, you're agreeing to be by my side for everything Barry has me do until we can finally get out of here." That had turned out easier than expected. But then again, she hadn't expected Barry to play into her hands with his request. It turned out nicely for her though.
"Yep." Sara contemplated for a moment, before agreeing, going through the pros and cons of this arrangement, but decided roping Ollie into getting some treatment for his knee, which she knew was still bothering him, maybe not as much as before but he was still regularly rubbing it, was more important than making a fool of herself next to him. Wouldn't be the first time.
"Alright, you got yourself a deal, Pretty Bird." They playfully shook hands while grinning at each other, remembering times past.
Notes:
As always I would love it if you shared your thoughts about the chapter with me. Did you like it? Did you hate it? Which part did you like the most and why?
Anyway, I hope I got Oliver and Sara right. And especially Mick and Jax, Mick might be a bit out of character... oh well... I tried. Haven't watched Legends in ages.
Chapter title is from the song "Oath" by Cher Lloyd